Washboard.



M. B. PBINEN.

WASH BOARD. APPLIQATION F'ILE-D APR. 15, 1911.

Patented May 20, 1913.

I Fig. 3 is a; section on-the be applied without material UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

wAsHBoABD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1911.

Patented May 20, 1913. Serial No. 621,420.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARY B. F EINEN, citizen of the United states, residing at J ersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVashboards, of which the following s a specification.

This. invention relates to improvements in washboards of the class having a soap-holding attachment, and has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construction and increase the efiiciency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device-which may structural changes to washboards of the ordinary construction.

.Another'obje'ct of the invention is-to provide a device of this character wherein provision is made for separating the parts for cleansing and repairs, and to enable the soap to be replenished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a'simply constructed device whereby the drainagefrom the support is prevented from passing rearwardly of the board, but is caused to flow over the rubbing surface. with these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combina-.

tions of the pants at I shall hereinafter fully describe and. claim. a

' For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in

which: 4 I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the washboard with the improvement applied; Fig. 2 is a sect-ion on the line 22 of Fig. 1; line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 5 is a detail in' section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 looking in the direcs tion otthe arrow. Fig. 6 is a detail illus tratin the manner of applying the improved device to any ordinarytyashboard.

Corresponding and like partw are referred to in the following. description and indicated in all the views drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device comprises spaced side members 10-11 and an upper or head mom-- ber 12, substantially of the usual construcside members extend rearwardly as indicated at 13. Therubbing surface is of the usual construction and represented conventionally at 14 and extending transversely between the side the upper end of the rubbing member 14 and the head member 12 is a head plate 16, preferably of metal and extending slightly in advance of the rubbing surface'of the member 14. At its lower edge the member 16 is directed inwardly and thence upwardly and rearwardly, as shown at 1,7, to forma trough which is provided with a plurality of apertures 18 to provide drainage for the dissolved soap, and likewise to form a shelf 'for supporting a follower as hereinafter explained.

The plate 16 is provided with a relatively large opening, preferably slightly larger than two ordinary cakes of soap and indi-' cated at 19. Bearingagainst the inner face of the plate 16 and surrounding the opening 19'is a frame 20 to which a plurality of wire holdi members 21 are connected at their ends, t e intermediate portions of the wire holding members being bent outwardly through the opening 19 and extending for wardly of the outer face of the plate 16.

members 10'-l1. Between At its lower edge the plate 20 rests in the ports or guards for the cakes of soap, repdetail on the line.

of the accompanying resented conventionally at 22, the sdapbeing. thus supported with the outer face slightly 'in advance of the outer face of the plate 16. .Slidably disposed between the members 10-ll and the head member 12 is a follower plate 23 which bears against the rear face of the soap and is provided'with an encompassing flange 24, the lower portion of the flan e extendingbeneath the cakes of soap an supporting the same, while the remaining flange portion bears against the 'side' members 10--1l and-the head member 12. By this means the follower is supported for movement within the frame of thewashboard. Formed in the inner face of the member 10 is a blind slot, indicatedat 25, while a similar slot is formed in the inner faceof the member 11 and indicated at 26. The slots 2526 are L-shaped, as represented in Fig. 4, and o n rearwardly through the rearfacesfof members l011, the

the trough l7 and is supported the slots.

is inserted in the slot 25 having its opening below the body of the slot, while the slot 26 opens above the body of the slot.

Extending transversely of the washboard is a bar 27 with one end inserted into the slot 25, as shown at 28, while the 'other end By this means it will be observed that when disposed at a slight oblique angle, the bar may beinscrted by its ends 28,-29 in the rearwardly opening ends of the slots 25-26,

horizontal pothe bar will beretained in position in By this means the bar may be sition readily coupled with or uncoupled the frame of the wa'shboard. Springs 30-31 are connected at their ends respectively to the follower 23 and the bar or uncoupling it from the washboard frame without disarrangingthe parts while at the same time holding the bar' with. suflicient firmness to prevent accidental displacement when not in use. By this simple means the springs-operate continuously against the fo1- -lower 23 and maintain the same yieldably illustrating the changes I minal to the plate 16 toprovide for the tured,

m engagement with the cake of soap and hold the latter against the guards 21, and cause the follower to-keep the soap in position as it is worn away. When the cakes of soap have been used up fresh cakes can be readily inserted by detaching the bar 27 and the follower 23, as before described. The inclined member 17 forms a trough-like terpassage of any soap dissolved,-through the so that all of the soap isutiliz'ed during the operation;

In Fig; 6 is shown the side view of the upper port-ion of an ordinary washboard, necessary to apply the improved device thereto. The only change required is to attach to the rear ed es of the members 10.-l112 extension strips 32-and form the recesses 25-26 in these extended strips and replace the ordinary head member of the board'with the plate. 16 including tl1e apertures 18 and the apertured inclined member 17.

The'improved device "is simple in con? struction, can be inexpensively manufacs slot 26, as shown at 29.'

from

27, and being yieldable. will permit the oblique disposition of the bar when coupling the same with cakes of soap, and

' opening.

and enables the soap .toybeused with increased economy, as no waste occurs in its use.

In operating the device the garments are drawn upwardly over the portion of the soap which extends through the opening 19 and thus apply the soap thereto while. at 'the same time any particles of soap-which may be dissolved 1n the operation find their way over the rubbing surface through the apertures 18. The springs 30-3l are preferably formed in volute shape, as shown, so that when compressed the coils fold one within the other to increase the range of movement.

Having thus described the invention what isclaimed as new is 1. A washboard including spaced side members and a head member, a head plate extending between said side members and beneath said head member and provided with anopening, a drainage trough having perforations-and extending rearwardl of the head plate at itslower edge, a rub ing member extendingbetween said'side mem bers and beneath receive the drainage therefrom, a frame having an opening corresponding to the opening of the head member and bearing against the rear face of said head platewith its opening registering with the opening of the same, said frame bearingat itsrlower edge upon the bottom'of the said drainage trough and supported thereby, supporting wires carried by said frame and extending through said head'plate opening and adaptedto support means adapted to hold soap against said wires.

2. A was'hboard including a head plate having an opening and a rubbing member below the head plate, a bottom plate having a rear imperforate portion and with a per forated drainage trough at its forward side, said trough extending in advance of the rubbing member, and means for supporting soap upon said imperforate bottom portion and above said trough and in the head plate In testimony whereof, Iafiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V .MARY B. FEINEN. as =Witnesses: 'LEo' FEINEN,

F REDK; T. P. SIMPSON.

Copies 0! this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 'of Patents.

- Washington, 1L0." 

